Improvement in the construction of shovels



UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM KIMBALL, OF VVORGESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHOVELS.

Specification forming part of Idetters Patent No. 8,635, dated January 6, 1852.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Hman KIMBALL, ot Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth ot' Massachusetts, machinist, have invented a certain new and useful Im-` provement in the Common Shovel for Shoveling Earth, Mannre, Coal, Grain, orother Loose Substances, to he called Kimballs Patent Shovel;7 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which is made a part of this specitication.

The drawing represents in perspective a front and lateral view of my shovel, and of all the parts thereof an exclusive property wherein I am desirous ot' securing tomyselt' and my legal representatives by Letters Patent, to wit:

A represents the front side ot' the blade of the shovel, to he made ot steel, iron, copper, wood, or other material, according to the purposes for which the shovel is to be applied.

B Gr G I represent the front side of the attachment for connecting the handle with lthe blade, consisting ot' the lip I, the tlangeG G, and the socket-B. The attachment is a casting made ot strong malleable iron or other metal, and is fastened to the blade by eightor more screws or rivets passing through both the lip and the upper end of the blade. The heads ot` the rivetsor screws are the more prominent upon the back side of the blade, and their position is indicated by the corresponding dots on the front side ot' the lip I. The heads o"t` the rivets or screws so formed upon the back ofthe blade are at points where the same is depressed, and particularly in the middle thereof, so that these heads are notliable to be worn ot't', or it' they are the rivets or screws may be easily renewed and the shovel thus restored to its originalstrength 5 and when the bladeof the shovelis worn out-it mayreadi- 1y be detached from the handle by knocking out the old rivets or screws. A new blade may then be put on, as before described, and thus at small expense the shovel may be restored, to be as good as when new.

G G represent the ange of the attachment Vat the bottom of the socket B, and projecting forward over the lip l, and extending along the top of the blade from one side to the other.

This llange answers athreefold purposeforming the upper part of the tray or scoop ot' the shovel, a convenient stirrup t'or the foot ofthe operative when he desires to press down the shovel, and two lateral braces extending from the center ot' the top ot' the. blade to the circumt'erence, and thus adding greatly to the strength ofthe implement at the point where the failure ot the old kind ot' shovels has demonstrated that such strength is most needed.

B represents the socket that receives the lower end ot' the stock ot the handle, and this, together with the lip and the flange, constitutes what I have called the attachmenti Gr represents an iron strap passing under the lower end ot' the stock ofthe handle, with the ends brought up on the front and back sides of it. After this straps is so applied to the lower end ot' the stock, the stock is driven through an iron tunnel, the lower oritice of which is just the size of the stock, so that by this process the iron strap is perfectly bedded in the wood. The lower end of the stock, with the iron strap so bedded in it, is then driven into the socket, which is nicely iitted to receive it, and by means of three or more rivets or screws passing quite through the stock and embracing both ends ot the strap and the socket the attachment ot' the handle to the 'blade is made perfect.

`Drepresents the stock ot` the handle, and may be made of any wood the ber of which is strong and unyielding. This stock is simply a. cylindrical piece ot' wood slightly tapering upward, without any enlargement at the top for the hand, as in the old kind of shovels,

and thus at least four hundred per cent. ot' timber is saved in making this part of my shovel.

E represents the socket that receives the npper end ot' the stock, and this socket, together with the ribs extending upward from each side of it, is a casting made of. malleable iron. or other metal. The upper end of the stock is rmly titted to this socket, and is further secured by a rivet or screw passing through them both. The ribs extending upward from this socket form a curve suitable to receive theliand of the operative, and at the top of' each rib is a round perforated swell.

F represents a small cylinder, made of wood, bone, ivory, or otherhard material, and this cylinder, being perforated longitudinally through ease in a given time, in the simplicity of the process Ot' making and restoring my shovel,in` its durability, and hence the great saving and economy in the use of it.

That I claim as my invention, and desire tO secure by Letters Patent, is an improvement in the construction Of the common shovel, as follows, tO Wit:

l. The attachment of malleable iron Orother metal, consisting of the lip,the ange, and/the socket, and the mode of fastening the same to the blade, as hereinbefore described.

2. The mode Ot' fastening the lower end Ot' the stock to the handle by means of a socket and single strap with the ends deflected upward on the front and back side ot' the stock, and thus connecting the handle with the blade Ot the shovel.

3. The construction of the upper end Of the handle, consisting Of' the socket, the ribs, the cylinder, and the rivet, and the mode of connecting the same with the upper end of the stock by means Otl the socket, as substantially and fully hereinbefore set forth.

In Witness whereof, I the said HIRAM KIM- BALL, have hereunto set my hand, in the presence Of the witnesses Whose names are hereto subscribed, this 25th day Of October, A. D. 1851.

HIRAM KIMB ALL.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. LINCOLN, IRA M. BARTON. 

